Antonyms for surly
| Grammar : Adj |
| Spell : sur-lee |
| Phonetic Transcription : ˈsɜr li |
Definition of surly
Origin :- 1560s, "lordly, majestic," alteration of Middle English sirly "lordly, imperious" (14c.), from sir. The meaning "rude, gruff" is first attested 1660s. For sense development, cf. lordly, and German herrisch "domineering, imperious," from Herr "master, lord."
- adj gruff, bearish
- "You have done very well," remarked the Brabanter in a surly voice.
- Extract from : « The White Company » by Arthur Conan Doyle
- Our steward was a Portuguese negro, of the most vicious and surly temper.
- Extract from : « Ned Myers » by James Fenimore Cooper
- He would not have been a Briton if these untoward combinations of events had not made him surly.
- Extract from : « Hetty's Strange History » by Anonymous
- She was a Socitaire of the Comdie, old, spiteful, and surly.
- Extract from : « My Double Life » by Sarah Bernhardt
- He had to bid him go back in a surly tone, and his heart smote him while he did so.
- Extract from : « Barnaby Rudge » by Charles Dickens
- These, my soldiers, were a little while ago as wild and surly as you are now.
- Extract from : « King Philip » by John S. C. (John Stevens Cabot) Abbott
- "Set about it," was the surly command, and Ramiro turned again to me.
- Extract from : « The Shame of Motley » by Raphael Sabatini
- His tone was surly and hostile; but it provoked no resentment in me now.
- Extract from : « The Strolling Saint » by Raphael Sabatini
- He was well-educated, but of a surly disposition and insubordinate.
- Extract from : « Personal Recollections of a Cavalryman » by J. H. (James Harvey) Kidd
- And he was so bad-tempered that the other giants called him Sharvan the Surly.
- Extract from : « Irish Fairy Tales » by Edmond Leamy
Synonyms for surly
Based on : Thesaurus.com - Gutenberg.org - Dictionary.com - Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019